Delegation of the Parliament of Montenegro, headed by chairpersons of the Committee on International Relations and Emigrants and the Security and Defence Committee, Mr Andrija Nikolić and Mr Obrad Mišo Stanišić, participated in the Inter-Parliamentary Conference for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defence Policy, which was held in Vienna on 11 and 12 October, within Austrian Presidency of the EU Council.
Day two of the Interparliamentary Conference was dedicated to the topics "The European Contribution to the Improvement of the Political and Humanitarian Situation in Syria", as well as "The EU Perspective for the Western Balkans", on the occasion of which the participants were addressed by Mr Andrija Nikolić, the Chairperson of the Committee on International Relations and Emigrants.
While adressing the participants of the event, Mr Nikolić pointed out that Montenegro has been in the final phase of EU accession, when the Union has been facing serious internal challenges.
- Here in Montenegro, we understand very well the need for the EU to implement internal reforms, however, we are convinced that there is no better perspective for the EU than the full unity of its members and the continuation of enlargement to candidate countries, and that these processes can be led simultaneously. New energy as part of the enlargement policy is the key to the long-term sustainability of European unity, but also for the preservation and enhancement of the integration enthusiasm of the countries of the Western Balkans, Mr Nikolić emphasised.
Mr Nikolić reminded the participants of the conference of the assessment of the head of state, Mr Milo Đukanović, at the occasion of addressing European parliamentarians in Strasbourg, that Montenegro has already been acting today as a member of the European Union, when it comes to the alignment with the common foreign and security policy of the EU.
- I assure you that Montenegro is going to successfully overcome all the challenges in the upcoming phase of the European path and, with the partnership understanding of the friendly countries within the EU, and cooperation with the Union's institutions, will fulfill its obligations and join the European family of nations even before the provisional deadline outlined in the new Strategy, said the Chairperson of the Committee on International Relations and Emigrants.
Mr Nikolić also appealed to parliamentarian colleagues from EU member states:
- I appeal to you, parliamentarians from the EU member states, to influence and preserve the vision of the EU enlargement in your countries ahead of the elections for the European Parliament. Help us make certain destructive tones not to endanger the stability of the Western Balkans and the European future of our region.
At the end of his presentation, Mr Nikolić emphasised that the European Union was and has remained the best model for emancipation and modernisation of all our policies, stressing that Montenegro would do everything to become a new member of the EU in the near future, because in Montenegro it has been believed in the idea of Europe united in diversity. There is no stable Europe without the stable Balkans, Mr Nikolić concluded.
On the topic of "The EU Perspective for the Western Balkans", the introductory presentations were delivered by Ms Karin Kneissl, Federal Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs of the Republic Austria, Mr David McAllister, Chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament and Mr Thomas Mayr-Harting, Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia in the European External Action Service.
Aside from chairpersons of committees Mr Stanišić and Mr Nikolić, the delegation of the Parliament of Montenegro was composed of MPs Mr Dragutin Papović, member of the Committee on International Relations and Emigrants, and Mr Milorad Vuletić, member of the Security and Defence Committee.
